Saturday

NEWSLETTER MAY 2017
Newsletter for Branch meeting on 17th May 2017  
Please note any information for the newsletter to be passed on to Jan Bridle by the last Saturday before the next meeting 

Branch subs
Are due now, no change from last year at £15 and paid to the treasurer now. Please send any cheques, made out to REA Bournemouth, to the above address for John Cusack.

June  meeting  
This will be a talk on the New Forest given by Harry Owen

Vacancies   
The positions of President and Social Secretary are still vacant.    These positions apart from the President could be filled by a Lady of the branch.

Monthly Informal Lunches
As usual held on the first Tuesday, menu lists on the table at evening meetings, any further information from John Cusack

Carol Robinson
We sadly report that Carol passed away on 8th of April; our thoughts and condolences go to her husband Roy and his family. Carol was a regular attendee at both the evening meetings and lunches and her cheerful presence will be much missed by all of us.

Visit by Dot and Bert Martin
On a sunny Sunday in April Dot and I made a visit to All Saints Church at Branksome and paid our respects at the grave of Lt. Col. John Henry Moss O.B.E., Royal Engineer and founder member of the REA Bournemouth Branch, who died in August 2003 at the age of 92. His wife Doris is also buried with him.

Branch Annual Lunch
The Annual lunch was held on 29th April 2017 at the Cumberland Hotel with over 30 attending including members, ladies and guests. As usual the food was superb and Bob was an excellent raffle caller. Many thanks and congratulations go to Richard Silsby who did a wonderful job of organising this brilliant occasion; he will be much missed as our Social Secretary.

Memories from Bert Martin
When I was doing my bit for Queen and Country I was stationed at Farara on the banks of the Suez Canal for 3 years from 1952 to 1955. The Flea, for persons not been to Egypt, is a range of small mountains along the canal.
Our camp was about 3 miles away from the Flea and, being Royal Engineers, our officers thought it would be a good idea for our plant troop to build a road up to the top.  Not thinking that was enough had the road blown up so the SAPPERS could repair it again.  This took a few months, so not to let the Workshop get away with no part in building the road, I was told to make a pair of brass scissors for the opening ceremony by a high ranking officer.  That being done, the scissors were taken to the local village to be engraved, then back to our camp for the prisoners in the nick to polish.  Our carpenter Frank Barrett made a beautiful oak box for the scissors to be presented in.
The best part of the story is that at the ceremony the scissors would not cut the mine tape as the prisoners had polished the sharp cutting edges off, so the tape was torn in half by the high ranking officer.
CPL. H.A.Martin, Workshop Troop, 6 Field Park Sqd, 22 Field Sqd RE.,  now Bournemouth REA Standard Bearer.

If anyone else has any memories they would like to share please contact Jan Bridle.

Forthcoming  Evening  Events 2017
June 21st              -        Talk on the New Forest by Harry Owen
July 19th              -        Skittles Evening
August  16th        -        Quiz
September 20th    -        Mike???
October 18th        -        Bingo and Fish and Chips
November 15th    -        Talk on Flying Boats in Poole Harbour by Jeremy Walters
December 20th     -        To be arranged (any ideas for any meetings welcomed)

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